


Re-Existence

by deathishauntedbyhumans



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Anger, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Canonical Character Death, Doctor Strange knows too much, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Grief/Mourning, I might do more with this later who knows, Infinity War (Marvel Comics), Marvel Universe, POV Peter Parker, POV Third Person, Past Tense, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-06-04 18:54:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15153473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deathishauntedbyhumans/pseuds/deathishauntedbyhumans
Summary: My take on what will happen when the Infinity Gauntlet is inevitably destroyed/used to bring back our beloved MCU characters that we know aren't about to stay dead. Peter Parker's POV, someone help this poor kid 2kforever.





	Re-Existence

The almost-oxygen, almost-Earth air filled his lungs all at once, and Peter gasped, his eyes flying open as he registered something hard digging into his back. Similar gasps sounded around him, and he found himself scrambling to stand, fingers scrabbling against the cool rock of the surface of the planet beneath him. 

Peter managed to find purchase and hoist himself up into a sitting position, and he froze, because--

A minute ago, he hadn’t existed. He was certain of it. The last thing he remembered was… fading out of existence, his mind going fuzzy as he stared down at the hands he could no longer feel. He’d been falling, his feet losing their traction on the ground, and then someone had caught him. He’d stopped falling, but it hadn’t been enough to stop him from fading out of reality. It was--

“ _ Mr. Stark!”  _ The name tore from Peter’s lips, a cry that he couldn’t stop, and he tried to stumble up, to stand. He could feel his feet again, could feel his legs. It was as though they’d never not existed, and he didn’t understand  _ why _ . 

“Woah, there, kid. Calm down.” There was a voice, a hand on his shoulder, moving to his arm, helping him up and steadying him. Peter turned his head wildly, eyes going wide as he expected to see Mr. Stark and instead came face to face with--

“...Doctor Strange?” It was the only name he’d been given for the mysterious man who’d been the keeper of the Time Stone. The man nodded once, curtly, giving him a once-over before releasing his shoulder. Peter shook his head, taking a step back. “I don’t understand.” 

“The Infinity Gauntlet has been destroyed.” Strange spoke quietly, but there was the barest hint of a smile on his face, quirking up the corner of his lips in a way that suggested he’d known what was going to happen all along. 

“But-- Thanos-- The big purple guy?” 

“Dead. Destroyed, alongside the Gauntlet.” 

A voice from behind Peter startled him and he jumped, automatically raising an arm and pointing his web-shooters at the intruding person. It was the lady from the battle, before, the one with the antenna on her head. Slowly, Peter dropped his arm again, taking in the sight of the so-called, self-proclaimed “Guardians of the Galaxy,” standing together, helping each other up and stretching out their limbs. 

“You knew.” It wasn’t a question; the lady sounds confident, almost accusatory. Peter frowned at her, but she ignored him. Her focus remained on Strange. 

“This outcome was one of the many that I foresaw,” Strange replied, looking over Peter’s head at her. “It was the only way that we would win.” 

“Gamora.” The mutter startled Peter, and before he could really register it, Quill --the strange spaceman who seemed to have an affinity for terrible old movies-- had launched himself at Strange, shoving him down to the ground. “ _ You knew she was dead.”  _

Strange made no move to defend himself, and fell to the ground in a heap, with Quill angrily pinning him to the ground. Peter’s eyes went wide. 

“There was nothing to be done for it.” 

“You sonofa--” 

“ _ Quill _ .” Antenna-lady pushed Peter out of the way, grabbing at Quill’s shoulder and trying to pull him off. “It was not his fault. Thanos--” 

“Was also a sonofabitch,” Quill growled, attempting to shove her hand off of his shoulder. “Gamora is  _ dead _ , Mantis.” Mantis. That was her name. “And this asshole  _ knew  _ about it. He knew about it the whole time, and he didn’t say anything, and--” 

“And hurting him will not bring her back,” Mantis replied steadily, her grip firm on Quill’s shoulder. “I  _ know  _ that you are grieving, Quill, but--” 

“But Mantis is right.” The strange, shirtless, tattooed man who had been travelling with Mantis and Quill stepped forward. “You will not bring Gamora back by harming the tall Doctor man.” 

Peter, for his part, could only wish that he knew what was going on. Quill slowly picked himself up off of Strange, brushing himself off and muttering obscenities under his breath. Before he turned away, Peter caught sight of his red-rimmed eyes. 

Strange stood fluidly from his position on the ground; Peter personally thought that the cape he was wearing had something to do with it as it fluttered behind him without any wind coming from the atmosphere around them. 

“Um… I don’t mean to interrupt, but… I kinda need to get home,” Peter piped up after a few minutes of tense silence, shifting from foot to foot. “I have school, you know, and… Oh, god, my Aunt is probably going to kill me for not telling her I was leaving the planet. And, um… I should probably find Mister Stark and tell him that I’m okay.” 

Quill turned around rapidly, shoving a hand at his own face so fast that Peter nearly missed the wetness on his cheeks. He cleared his throat, frowning at him for a moment. Peter tried to smile back at him.

“...We can get you home, kid,” Quill stated after a long moment of sizing him up. “Earth?” 

“Um… yeah. Where else--?” Peter began to ask, but Quill had already turned away from him again. 

“Drax, Mantis… We’re going to Earth. Come on.” Quill didn’t wait for a response. Instead, he turned and stalked abruptly away, back towards where Peter remembered them mentioning they’d hidden their ship. Despite the oddity of the situation, Peter couldn’t help the excitement curling in his chest at the thought of riding in another spaceship. He turned to grin at Doctor Strange, only to find him… vanished. Peter frowned, but shook his head and turned to follow Quill, falling into step beside Mantis as they made their way back to Quill’s ship. 

**Author's Note:**

> *shrug emoji*
> 
> Kudos/comments are love; come scream at me on tumblr @deathishauntedbyhumans


End file.
